Bloomington has a toolshare, the Glenn Carter Memorial Tool Share, and of course, like most communities, we have a beautiful public library. (Have you ever stopped to feel your intense gratitude for this magnificent commons that still thrives in our midst?) Now how about expanding the Tool Share into a Library of Things? It would help us let go of needing to buy stuff as an unconscious, but ersatz way of satisfying the primal need to hunt and gather. And hey! How about satisfying that ancient instinct in a real way, by planting edibles in public areas for eventual harvest and gleaning?

Of course our Green Acres Village shares garden and other tools with neighbors and friends. But until everybody feels more comfortable asking neighbors to borrow something — which entails getting to know your neighbor rather than ignoring him or her! — a community-wide Library of Things, especially, I’d say, one that specializes in expensive, hard to store, and seldom used stuff, would be a great boon for everyone. Thanks to reader Rose, for this story.

Can A Library of Things Solve Our “Peak Stuff” Problem?